All's well that ends well on the Bacon Butty Run of Saturday 29 November‏

When I arrived at Di Paolo's a fraction before 09:30 there were two bikes already leant up near the wide open doors in front of the ice cream counter. It was a good end of November temperature but I am not sure there would have been much passing summer trade for cornettos. Four Pre BBR rides had been on a swift ride since two were on fast new steeds they wanted to put through their paces. The old hands tried to slow them down by choosing a muddy section, which would also make the proud owners of the new bikes want to wash and polish them the moment they got home!

 Ivan also popped in for a light breakfast on his way back from a ride and soon the cafe was filling up with cyclists. Eight of us set out on the BBR picking up two other riders within minutes. The plan was to go to the Sovereign Harbour cafe, plugged by Peter B, using a similar route to last week. To miss out Horse Walk we turned right on to the back end of our TT course to Ninfield after Whydown, instead of left to Hooe, but this week went on to the outskirts of Herstmonceux then taking the usual left almost to the church and then across the marsh to Rickey. All went to plan apart from a puncture midway across the marsh, but it was gloriously sunny so we basked and chatted waiting for the fix.

 It then went a bit wrong .........

 I had said in an email and announced during the ride that we would take the usual left at Hankham, the left that has always (*) been used for decades on club runs when coming back from Hailsham or from Rickney. My group were a bit behind the others and took the left turn riding on to catch them up. The Denny CC, motto every man for himself, rider must have shot past the Hankham left and led the responsible Hastings CC riders astray. Several knew the turn and eventually spoke up so they did a u turn to start chasing down the group that were ahead and chasing them!

Some BBR Boys Enjoying The Winter Sun!

My group did the usual to Westham and the left at the Crem roundabout and at the start of a short rise left on to Netherfiled Avenue then right on to Telscombe and on to the main road. This is where we went wrong since I had emailed we would turn left then at the next round about after a few hundred yards turn right to Sovereign Harbour. I have not gone there often, or for a long time, and we soon realised it was the wrong roundabout. When we got back the main road the other group were full steam ahead (they missed out Netherfield Avenue and Telscombe ) on their way to Pevensey Bay. So much for meeting up at the Sovereign harbour Cafe and trying it out!  So we set off in pursuit. We all needed up in Pevensey Bakery, contrary to the agreed plan, but all is well that ends well.

 As we came back in to Bexhill Steve C announced that he fancied a lunch time pint in the Old Town. So Malcolm D and I decided we better join him in the Royal Standard where we met an intersecting character who told us his life story, regaled at length without letting the three of us get too many words in. He has a bike and has said he would look us up and come out on a BBR. He is unlikely to be a club racing champion, though you never can tell, but he would have no trouble taking Paul Baxter on in one of our unofficial award categories if he does not get out of breath on a steady paced ride .......

Chris Parker